The class of polymers of carbon monoxide and olefin(s) has been known for a number of years. Brubaker, U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,286 produced such polymers of relatively low carbon monoxide content in the presence of free radical initiators, e.g., peroxy compounds. U.K. Pat. No. 1,081,304 produced similar polymers of higher carbon monoxide content in the presence of alkylphosphine complexes of palladium salts as catalyst. Nozaki extended the process to produce linear alternating polymers in the presence of arylphosphine complexes of palladium moieties and certain inert solvents. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,412.
More recently the class of linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon, e.g., ethylene or ethylene and propylene, has become of greater interest in part because of the greater availability of the polymers. These polymers, often referred to as polyketones or polyketone polymers, have been shown to be of the repeating formula --CO--(A)-- where A is the moiety of unsaturated hydrocarbon polymerized through the ethylenic unsaturation. For example, when the hydrocarbon is ethylene, the polymer is represented by the repeating formula --CO--(CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --. The general process for the more recent production of such polymers is illustrated by a number of published European patent applications including Nos. 0,121,965 and 0,181,014. The process typically involves a catalyst composition formed from a compound of a Group VIII metal selected from palladium, cobalt or nickel, the anion of a strong non-hydrohalogenic acid and a bidentate ligand of phosphorus, arsenic or antimony.
The resulting polymers are relatively high molecular weight thermoplastics hving established utility in the production of shaped articles such as containers for the food and drink industry and internal and external parts for the automotive industry. Such shaped parts are produced by processing the polyketone according to known methods. For some applications it has been found desirable to provide a polymer composition having properties somewhat different from those of the polyketone polymers. It would be of advantage to retain the more desirable properties of the polyketone polymer and yet improve other properties. This advantage is often obtained through the provision of a polymer blend.